Can-head-feeding apparatus



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(No Model.)

o. BQKB/NDALL. GAN HEAD FBEDING APPARATUS.

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C. B. KBNDALL. CAN-HEAD FEBDING APPARATUS.

No. 469,388. Patented' Feb. 23,-189Z,

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` I UNITED STATES i PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES B. KENDALL, OF NFNVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAN-HEAD-FEEDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,388, dated February 23, 1892. Application filed September 29, 1890. Renewed December 29, 1891i Serial No. 416,491. (No model.)

To all whomJ t may concern:

Beit known that. I, CHARLES B. KENDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-I-Iead- Feeding Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in feeding mechanism for the automatic conveyance of can-heads to and discharging the same into the can-head chutes for travel toward the can-heading machinery, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the drawings, described and pointed out in the specification.

The main objects sought to be derived from the use of the present invention consist, first, in the increased rapidity with which the canheads may be supplied or fed to the heading machinery; secondly, in the decrease of labor required in the handling and feeding thereof, thereby lessening the daily running expense; thirdly, in providing against the heads being fed irregularly to the chutes, and, lastly, in

providing a device which shall be simpler in.

its construction and more effective in its operation than any device heretofore known to me for the accomplishment of the same purpose.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein similar letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the entire specification and drawings, Figure l is a side view in elevation showing the entire machine; Fig. 2,atop plan thereof, showing the can-head crate at one side and end of the table in position within its shell and the crate upon the opposite side moved out of its shell and in position above the discharge-opening; Fig. 3, an end View in elevation; Fig. 4, a `longitudinal sectional View showing filled crate placed in position for movement toward dischargechute; Fig. 5, a similar view of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a cross-sectional view taken on line o o., Fig. 2; Fig. 7, a top plan in detail of Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a longitudinal sectional view on line y z, Fig. 6 Fig.

9, an end view of the feed-table, showing one of the runways or guides empty; Fig.. l0, a top plan of Fig. 9; Fig. 1l, an end view in cross-section of the feed-table; Fig. 12, a top plan of the crate-shell, and Fig. 13 a top plan of the crate.

The letter a represents the feed-table, which is supported by and has secured thereto the legs a', of which any suitable number may be employed. On the top of said table I secure, in any suitable manner, the guides a2, within which the can-headcrate shell b operates, as hereinafter described. These guides or runways for the shell b extend only a partial length of the table, as shown at a5, from which points they are converted into crate guides or runways 0.3, which project inward and extend considerably above the shellguideway.

Vithin the crate-shell operates the crate b2, carrying the can-heads c, which are maintained apart by means of the partition orvertical guides h3. IVithin the crate-shell I secure the supporting-tracks b', upon which the can-heads contained within the crate b2 rest, which track is secured therein for the purpose of providing against the dropping out of the heads while the crate is contained within its shell. The crate b2 travels with the movement of the shell until the end of the latter contacts with the walls of the crate-guide runway as, when the movement thereof ceases. The crate b2, however, continues its longitudinal movement within the guide-runwaya3 until the opposite end of the table is reached.

In order to provide against the dropping of the can-heads from within the craie before reaching the discharge-opening, I provide the track a, which is secured within the craterunway at a height equal to supporting-track b', and extends in length to the dischargeopening, so as to be in Vertical line with the wall of the discharge-chute. The location of the can-head-supportin g tracks will be clearly seen by reference to Figs. 6, 7 S, and 1l. The feed-table I forni solid and provide the same with central opening d2, Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, below which and in vertical line therewith I secure the can-head chutes d (which run at right angles to the table) by means of screws or bolts CZ. As the filled crates travel from IOO each end of the feed-table over the opening cl2, the can-heads are allowed to drop successively into chutes d, by which they are car; ried or conveyed to the can-header. Should, however, the heads be carried beyond the chutes d, the same will fall through the opening d2 into a basket located thereunder for the purpose of catching the same. I provide the feed-table with two guides and runways, so as to permit the travel of the crates from each end of the table, one for carrying cantops and the oppositely-rnoving one for canbottoms, so as to allow the two being fed simultaueously.

In operating my improved feeder it is only requisite that two workers be employed, one at each end of the table, in order to feed the 1 crate-shell containing the filled crate thereto and remove the empty crates as they reach the opposite end. When the tilled crate moves v from within the crate-shell into the crate-runway CL3, the empty shell is removed from within -guideway a2 and placed to one side to be refilled while another is inserted in place th-erof, thus keeping the crate-guide continually supplied with moving` crates carrying can tops and bottoms. As the empty crates reach the opposite end, the operator there stationed removes the same, so as to be refilled, and at the same time keep the guideway running parallel therewith continually supplied with filled crates. As the crates pass over the opening d2, the can-heads move from off the track a4 and are discharged therethrough into chutes d, by means of which, as before stated, lthey are conveyed to the heading mechanism. (Not shown.) By providing the crate b2 with the partitions b3 the can-heads are kept separated from one another and in true vertical position', so as to insure perfect and correct dropping into the chutes d. The canhead crates and shell are operated by hand by preference; but any suitable mechanism may be employed for this purpose.

By means of Amy improved feeder I am enabled to supply about two hundred heads and bottoms each to the heading mechanism, while by the employment of the present feed mechanism only about sixty per minutecan be fed, which, being by hand, does not insure accuracy. By my improved feeder it is impossible for the heads to drop imperfectly into the conveying-chutes.

The feeding apparatus herein shown and described may be easily adjusted to any of the headers now in use and be operated by hand or automatically from the movement of the heading machinery.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and details of construction herein shown and described Without necessitating or creating a departure from the nature and scope of my invention. y A y Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States,is

l. In a can-head-feeding device, the combination of the feed-table thereof provided with a discharge-opening, guides and runways formed thereon, and the can-head crate adapted to move therein and upon the travel thereof to automatically discharge the can heads and bottoms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a can-head-feeding device, the combination of the table thereof, guides and runways formed thereon, crateshell provided with ycan-head supports working thereon, canhead crate yfitting therein, and head-supporting tracks secured Vwithin tl-recrate-runways, said crate adapted to automatically, upon the travel thereof, empty itself of heads andbottoms, substantially as set forth vand described.

3. The combination, with a can-head crate, of the crate-shell Within which -the crate fits, said shell being provided with can-head supports, so as to prevent the `outfalling of the heads, substantially as set forth and described.

4. In a can-head-fe'eding apparatus; the combination, with the can-head crate adapted to hold tops and bottoms, of a guideway,'said crate upon travel th'ereover adapted to automatically and successively discharge the can tops and bottoms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

5. In a can head-feeding apparatus, the combination of the feed-table or guide-support provided with discharge-opening, crate for carrying of heads, adapted to travel thereover and automatically discharge the heads, and the can-head chutes secured beneath the guide-supports and adapted to receive the dis'- charged heads, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof Iatiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IOO 

